[SappyAppy]

How did you find your current art(s)?

A good friend of mine is looking at promoting his club and I gave him a few ideas, but it got me thinking - how did you all find the club or clubs you practice at? Advert? Word of mouth? Divine intervention? Sacrificed a lamb?

Not looking for advice on how to promote a club (as there is loads on here via the search facility) - just looking for your own experience.

Cheers in advance,

Scott

[Hsmrcahr]

When I found our dojo, the internet was still very much in its infancy. I was aware of kumdo/kendo and just looked in the phone book for either one. No kumdo, but lo and behold, here's kendo. Called. Showed up. Stuck with it.

As for all the beginners we have now, a lot of it has to do with our blog. No Tom Cruise samurai movies have been released for some time, but we held the regional tournament here last October, and we managed to get a newspaper article out of it. A few weeks later, another reporter showed up in class with a photographer and we actually got a nice front-page piece. The newspaper article listed a now-defunct website for the club, but people are fairly google-saavy these days, so they managed to find the blog. Next thing you know, we've got 12 newbies (male and female, with a good mix of ages).. and surprisingly, they all continue to come to practice week after week.

I don't think we've ever gotten much of anything by doing demos and such, but that's just been my experience.

[voksveta]

Asked at a local MA shop in Norwich, this one happened to be Karate, TKD KungFu Orientated

they pointed me in the right direction, but having said that i did know there was a Kendo club in Norwich from when i used to practice Judo at Norwich YMCA
alternativly looked on the BKA web site and got Pauls phone number

But wasnt til i started Kendo that i realised he also taught Iai, was getting there earlier on a Saturday to watch him practice Seitei, (this is before his kendo classes) and he offered to teach me , but he has a regular class during the week, most of his Kendo students practice iai, but not all iai students practice kendo if that makes sense

[Wdlglivi]

Saw a poster on the university campus.

[DeronBoltonRen]

Word of mouth. My brother knew someone who did Kendo and we went down to check it out together. Wasn't his thing but I kept going.

[c6vkuNRg]

Oh, I neglected to mention...
The head instructor of our dojo also owns the only martial arts supply store in the city, so there's a lot of traffic in and out of there.... and we get some newbies from that.

[F1grandprix]

Looked up kendo and NYC online and found a listing of different dojos.
Next came the visits until I found the one that fit.

[Candykiss]

My first iaido club was at my university.

My current iaidojo was a recommendation from my shisho.

My workplace has a kendo club, and I get intros to other dojos through that.

Yeah, I'm lucky.

[Lapsiks]

Just used the trusy, dusty BKA website, made a list of the nearest Kendojos, visited them and chose which one I thought was best. Still don't regret my choice.

[embefuri]

Still don't regret my choice.

Are you sure? Kent sounds like it's got a real happening kendo scene, so many 'characters' it sounds like a blast.

[Evelinessa]

Well mine is kind of a curious story. I was always searching for Kendo, but i never imagine it would be in my island and so close of me. Actually it was far for where i live, but my sensei make a dojo who is connected with other martial arts. So i just passed in my car, by the same aikido dojo that i pass almost everyday. Look to a great poster that said Kendo...and inmediatly i called for information. With time i become the first official student, because my sensei just posted the sing like...half and hour before i called. Yeah i was something like that...

[pkopwqzsdcvbn]

I stumbled across the dojo on the internet, whilst searching around for various martial arts and stuff in the area and threatened my friend and then girlfriend into going and watching. They still haven't banned me for being a clumsy fool and I will continue to show up until i'm banned

[Battwenue]

They still haven't banned me for being a clumsy fool and I will continue to show up until i'm banned

Hehe the day of your sacking is near if you bugger your grading up...

[Joircarm]

Posters. Definetly Posters! A website is only good for info if the student already knows about the club to begin with. The poster is the first step: "Hey look over here". Then the student can check out the website.
Our club is 39 years old and we've used poster since day one.

[Mumeseest]

My Father practiced there before me. I think my name might have been put down for Dojo Membership at Birth

[flopay]

My Father practiced there before me.

James or Keith?

[huntbytnkbel]

Ah Ha you must trawl through the BKA membership records to find the one who is responsible for creating the HARRY!!!!!

[Abarricoss]

I remember it well.
It was a long time ago....I had been staggering in the snow during the worst storm we had in ages.
I was running for my life, actually. Away from a wild animal I had killed in a cave...
Just as I had all but collapsed from exhaustion, some deranged old Hermit appeared in a vision and gave me directions.

[immewaycypef]

Tee Hee.
OK Kenazn I admit seeing your dojo in a vision deserves respect, and is one of the most acceptable routes to dojo membership 2nd only to see a flyer pinned to a notice board in a church hall, but I still don't think it tops being destined to train at a dojo since before you were born. There is actually a scroll in the British Museum dating from the mid 17th century which sets out the prophesy that I am now fulfilling.

Also this running from a wild animal thing sounds a bit hap-hazard. Where are the years wandering in the wilderness? Where are the years meditating at the top of a mountain?

[OccabsLam]

I remember it well.
It was a long time ago....I had been staggering in the snow during the worst storm we had in ages.
I was running for my life, actually. Away from a wild animal I had killed in a cave...
Just as I had all but collapsed from exhaustion, some deranged old Hermit appeared in a vision and gave me directions.

....awesome.....